Michael ran up to her and clutched her shoulders but she still wouldn't look at him. "Maria what is it?" he asked.

"Don't!" she yelled. "You don't know yet. You don't want to touch me," she sobbed.

"Don't be ridiculous," Michael cried impatiently and scooped her into his arms, kissing her forehead. "Maria, look at me. Tell me what's wrong."

She shook her head and prepared to push him away when she was distracted by an annoyed voice.

"What's all the racket about?" Isabel cried as she appeared in the kitchen.

Maria glanced towards the girl briefly and wondered if that girl ever looked bad? Even in curlers and after just awakening, she looked beautiful. Maria looked down as quickly as she had looked over. Isabel would probably hate her more if she knew who Maria really was.

Isabel looked from Maria to Michael and back to Maria and her eyes widened in concern. "What's going on?" she asked.

Maria's sobbing grew louder and she tossed Michael aside roughly. "Just leave me alone!" she cried. "I'm a freak! I'm a...."

Michael interrupted her. "A freak? Did something happen?" he asked sharply. "Please talk to us."

"No!" Maria yelled and ran to the staircase. She managed to climb three steps before Isabel's voice stopped her. She didn't turn, but she listened.

"Maria, please. We...we worry about you and we...I want to be your friend. I want you to know that no matter what, I'm here for you." Isabel's voice came out sounding a little uncomfortable at the admission but it touched Maria inside. The girl was really trying.

Still not turning, Maria gripped the hand-rail and said, "If you want to know, then pack your bags."

"Why?" Both Isabel and Michael asked simultaneously.

Maria turned and looked Michael in the eye. "Because, I can't wait for a week to go to Sedona. I'm going tonight."

*****

"MARIA!"

Maria turned to face her friends in surprise. Isabel had woken everyone else up and they had all packed and climbed into the jeep. Before they had left, Max asked if he should call Kyle and have him come as well but Maria had shuddered and said no.

Since they had left, Maria had been looking out the window, deep in thought. She could only think of how they were all going to hate her, to be repulsed.

She locked eyes with Liz, who sat with Alex in the front passengers seat, and saw that her best friend was sick with suspense. She glanced at Michael and he tightened his arm around her. She knew she had to tell them now.

She cleared her throat and looked back out the window, clasping her shaky hands in her lap. She spoke quietly but clearly. "I'm sorry everyone. I...God, I don't know how to say this. I know why I've been having powers and Michael and I have been having sexual blackouts and why I died." She pondered this for a moment and spoke almost to herself. "Well, maybe that's not the reason but it would totally make sense. It's inside of me so our connection must have caused it." She glanced over and saw that everyone was looking at her as though she had lost it. "Look, I'm not who I thought I was. I...oh my god, my mom! All those years." She stopped and felt jagged glass rip through her guts at the thought. Her eyes filled and she placed her face in her palms.

"Maria, you're not making any sense," Isabel said.

"Yes I am!" she demanded. "I'm half alien. Nacerro is my father."

Gasps were heard all around and the jeep swerved. Once Max got control again, he pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned to face her. "Come again?"

Maria looked at Max and said, "Kyle and Nacerro came over tonight, and they told me. It's true."

Michael squeezed her tighter with his arm and turned to face her. He spoke through gritted teeth. "It's not true. I'll kill them!"

Maria looked at him and let some of the walls around her thoughts down. He was flooded with her thoughts and saw some of what had happened. To him alone, she said, "It is true. It explains everything. Don't you see?"

"Tell us everything," Max said tightly.

So Maria told them. She told them of how Kyle had appeared and was acting creepy. She told them of how he had mentioned running into his mother and her father and then how he had introduced Nacerro. She told them of how Nacerro had shapeshifted right in front of her and revealed himself to be her father.

"Couldn't he have been pretending?" Liz asked, unsure.

Maria looked at her and shook her head. "No, it's true. I...I feel it. In here." She clutched her heart. She paused for a moment, taking in a shaky breath and reluctantly continued. "This is the worst part. He told me why. You, Michael, Isabel, and Max, you are special. He told me that an old prophecy said you would be the ones to regain control of your planet for your people. That you were destined for that purpose. And," she stopped to swallow the lump in her throat. "Please believe me when I say I would never do anything to hurt any of you. But, I was created to stop you. To destroy you. Kyle and I both were?"

"Kyle?" Liz asked sharply. "What does he have to do with this?"

She spoke without trepidation. She had nothing more to lose. "He's my brother. We're both half Tyrvanas."

*****

The rest of the ride was extremely quiet. They drove straight to Sedona, only stopping for gas. She could sense nothing but shock from Michael, but there was no revulsion lingering around his thoughts and that comforted her somewhat.

They arrived at the UFO Emporium at ten a.m. Everyone climbed out of the van and stretched their aching limbs. She glanced around at her friends, still unsure of what they thought about what she had told them. They were all staring at her but their gazes weren't hostile. Liz grabbed her hand and squeezed it lightly. The look in Max's eye let her know that he trusted her, Isabel gave her a small smile, and Alex nodded, his eyes friendly.

She finally looked at Michael. He looked as closed up as every but in his eyes, she saw warmth and love. Tears of relief sprung to her eyes and he collected her in his arms. "Shh," he whispered. Then he switched to their more intimate form of communication. *Everything is going to be alright. I know you would never hurt me. I know that you love me and I love you.*

"I love you," she said aloud and then sighed, relaxing against his strong, sturdy and warm body.

A few minutes later, she mentally collected herself and pulled away, addressing the whole group. "He didn't know I was pregnant. And I saw in my vision that my baby can prevent all of this from happening. He was afraid of my baby."

"That gives us an advantage, right?" Isabel said, looking anxious.